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Alabama edged Colorado, 62-61, and Wichita State blew out Washington State, 75-44, in the semifinals of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. Alabama and Wichita State will meet in the NIT title game on Thursday.
It may not be the NCAA Tournament, but the NIT still packs a powerful and exciting punch.
Trevor Releford scored the game-winning bucket with 12 seconds remaining to send No. 1 seed Alabama past fellow No. 1 seed Colorado, 62-61, in the second of two semifinal games at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. Wichita State blew out Washington State, 75-44, in the first semifinal game.
Releford finished with 13 points for the Crimson Tide (25-11), who shot 50 percent from the field. JaMychal Green scored 22 points on 11-of-16 shooting and both Chris Hines and Tony Mitchell scored eight points for Alabama.
Alec Burks scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 7-of-7 shooting from the charity stripe, to lead Colorado.
In the day's first game, Garrett Stutz finished with 24 points to lead the fourth-seeded Shockers past the second-seeded Cougars, 75-44. Toure' Murry had 13 points and Gabe Blair added 10 points and nine rebonds for Wichita State. DeAngelo Casto and Reggie Moore each scored nine points to lead Washington State. Klay Thompson, the Cougars' leading scorer, was held to six points on 1-of-10 shooting.
Alabama will face Wichita State in the 2011 NIT championship game on Thursday night.
The 2011 National Invitation Tournament transitions to Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday night when Washington State battles Wichita State (7 p.m. EDT, ESPN2) and Alabama takes on Colorado (9 p.m. EDT, ESPN2) in the semifinals.
The Shockers were 1.5-point favorites entering their match-up with the Cougars, and 5Dimes.com lists Wichita State as a 2.5-point favorite and Bodog.com has them as a three-point favorite. While Washington State possesses a better record in the NIT (7-4) than Wichita State does (6-11), the Shockers have been surging as of late, topping the College of Charleston, 82-75, to advance to the Garden. J.T. Durley leads the way for Wichita State, averaging 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. The Cougars are led by Klay Thompson, who averages 22 points per contest. The Sports Network predicts that Washington State will be the winner, prevailing 75-71.
As a top-seed, it's not surprising that the Crimson Tide enter Tuesday night's game as a one-point favorite (5Dimes.com and Bodog.com list Alabama as 2.5-point favorites). Tony Mitchell paces the Crimson Tide on offense, averaging 15.5 points, and is second in rebounding with seven boards per game. Alabama is also solid on defense, holding opponent to 59.2 points per game. The Buffaloes (80.1 PPG) are led by Alec Burks, who averages 20.5 points. The Sports Network predicts an upset in this one, calling for a 78-73 win for Colorado.
The winners of Tuesday's semifinal tilts will square off in the 2011 NIT title game on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
Alabama, a No. 1 seed in the 2011 NIT bracket, Wichita State and Washington State were all winners Wednesday night in the tournament's quarterfinals, earning them a spot in the semifinals of the NIT Championship, set to take place Tuesday night, in Madison Square Garden.
Wichita State was the first team to punch its ticket. The Shockers took a 12-point lead into the half and led by as much as 21 points in the second half but still needed to hold off a late rally from College of Charleston for the win, 82-75. Gabe Blair's 16 points paced Wichita State while Charleston was led by Andrew Goudelock, who scored a game-high 31 points.
Alabama took control early in their matchup with Miami, jumping out to a 17-6 lead that they built into a 24-10 advantage and never looked back, cruising to a 79-64 victory Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide, a bubble team that many thought were snubbed by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, was led by Trevor Releford's 22 points.
In the final game of the quarterfinals triple-header, Washington State got by Northwestern in overtime, 69-66, thanks in large part to the play of Klay Thompson, who scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half, including two big free throws in overtime.
With the win, the Cougars advance to the NIT Semifinals, where they will face Wichita State. Alabama will play Colorado, also a No. 1 seed, in the other semi, with a spot in the NIT championship game on the line.
For more on the NIT schools, visit our Colorado blog, The Ralphie Report, our Alabama blog, Roll 'Bama Roll, and our Washington St. blog, Coug Center.
Colorado def. Kent State, 81-74
Wichita State def. Charleston, 82-75
Alabama def. Miami, 79-64
Washington St. def. Northwestern, 69-66 (OT)
March 29, Washington State vs. Wichita State, 7 p.m. ESPN2
March 29, Alabama vs. Colorado, 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 31, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Visit the NCAA's site for an official NIT bracket
The quarterfinals of the 2011 NIT Championship got under way Tuesday night, with No. 1 seed holding court against Kent State, 81-74. The Buffaloes were led by Alec Burks, who scored a game-high 25 points and added 10 rebounds.
The win advances Colorado to the NIT semifinals next Tuesday night, where it will face the Alabama-Miami winner at Madison Square Garden. For The Golden Flashes, their season comes to an end after two upsets in the NIT, and nearly a third Tuesday night. But in the end, Colorado -- mainly Alec Burks -- were too much for Kent State, writes Ralphie Report:
In the second half the Golden Flashes evened up the score and even took a three point lead before strong play from Burks and the home crowd finally enabled the Buffs to pull away. Announcer Jimmy Dykes, who kept saying that Alec was "not an NBA caliber player" (even though most draft services have him as a top 10 pick), has clearly never seen the team play as Burks almost single handedly carried the team to victory even though he was battling illness and playing out of position due to Nate Tomlinson being unavailable due to a shoulder injury.
The NIT Quarterfinals continue Wednesday night, with three games to decide who will join Colorado in New York City for the semis.
Colorado def. Kent State, 81-74
March 23, Wichita State vs. Charleston, 7 p.m ESPN
March 23, Alabama vs. Miami, 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 23, Northwestern vs. Washington St., 11 p.m., ESPN2
March 29, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
March 29, TBD, 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 31, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Visit the NCAA's site for an official NIT bracket
The 2011 NIT Championship continued Monday night with the three final second round games before the tournament's quarterfinals. Miami downed Missouri St., 81-72, and Alabama handled New Mexico, 74-67, to advance in the left side of the bracket, while Washington St. got past Oklahoma St., 74-64.
With the second round concluded, the quarterfinals matchups are now set: No. 1 seed Colorado will host Kent St. Tuesday night, Charleston will visit Wichita State, No. 1 Alabama will host Miami in a matchup perhaps better suited for the football field and Northwestern will play at Washington State. The latter three games are scheduled for Wednesday night.
The winners of Alabama-Miami and Colorado-Kent St. will meet in the semifinals, at Madison Square Garden, on March 29.
Colorado def. California, 89-72.
Northwestern def. Boston College, 86-67
Charleston def. Cleveland State, 64-56
Wichita State def. Virginia Tech, 79-76 (OT)
Kent State def. Fairfield, 72-68
Miami (Fla.) def. Missouri State, 81-72
Alabama def. New Mexico, 74-67
Washington State def. Oklahoma State, 74-64
March 22, Kent State at Colorado, 9 p.m. ESPN
March 23, Wichita State vs. Charleston, 7p p.m ESPN
March 23, Alabama vs. Miami, 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 23, Northwestern vs. Washington St., 11 p.m., ESPN2
2011 NIT Semifinals
March 29, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
March 29, TBD, 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 31, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Visit the NCAA's site for an official NIT bracket
The NCAA's other tournament continues Monday night, with three games to determine the final slots for the elite eight of the 2011 NIT Championship bracket. Missouri St. is at Miami at 7 p.m. EDT, followed by No. 1 seed Alabama hosting New Mexico at 9 p.m. and then in the nightcap, the Cowboys of Oklahoma St. visit Washington St. The winners of the first two games will meet in the quarterfinals; the latter game determines who plays Northwestern, the team that knocked off No. 1 Boston College on Saturday.
Two of the NIT quarterfinals are already set: Kent St. will play at No. 1 Colorado Tuesday night and Wichita St. will meet Charleston on Wednesday.
Colorado def. California, 89-72.
Northwestern def. Boston College, 86-67
Charleston def. Cleveland State, 64-56
Wichita State def. Virginia Tech, 79-76 (OT)
Kent State def. Fairfield, 72-68
March 21, Missouri State at Miami (Fla.) 7 p.m. ESPN
March 21, New Mexico at Alabama 9 p.m. ESPN
March 21, Oklahoma State at Washington State 11:30 p.m. ESPN2
March 22, Kent State at Colorado, 9 p.m. ESPN
March 23, Wichita State vs. Charleston, TBD, ESPN/ESPN2
March 23, Northwestern vs. Oklahoma St./Washington St., TBD, ESPN/ESPN2
March 23, TBD, ESPN/ESPN2
March 29, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
March 29, TBD, 9 p.m. ESPN2
March 31, TBD, 7 p.m. ESPN2
Visit the NCAA's site for an official NIT bracket
Boston College was eliminated from the 2011 National Invitation Tournament on Saturday morning after losing to No. 4 seed Northwestern, 85-67. Nevertheless, there were still two games to be played in the NIT on Sunday.
In the shocker of the day, No. 4 seed Wichita State upset No.1 seed Virginia Tech, 79-76, in overtime. Joe Ragland made a layup with 2.6 seconds left in overtime to give the Shockers (a very fitting name for a team that just upset one of the NIT's top seeds) their second victory of the tournament.
Ragland finished with 13 points and four assists and Toure' Murry scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Wichita State (26-8). Graham Hatch scored 14 points, Garrett Stutz had 11 points and J.T. Durley added 10 points. Gabe Blair finished with six points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the Shockers' win.
Malcolm Delaney scored 30 points for Virginia Tech (22-12) to lead all scorers, and Erick Green added 17 points. Jeff Allen totaled 10 points and seven rebounds for the Hokies, who will be watching the rest of the NIT on the couch just like Boston College.
In the NIT's second game of the day, Randal Holt scored 22 points to lead No. 7 seed Kent State past No. 6 seed Fairfield, 72-68. Carlton Guyton totaled 16 points and seven rebounds for the Golden Flashes (25-11). Derek Needham finished with 20 points and Ryan Olander had 15 points and seven boards for the Stags (25-8).
On Saturday, No. 6 seed College of Charleston upset No. 2 seed Cleveland State in second-round action, winning 64-56. Donovan Monroe scored 16 and Trent Wiedeman added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Cougars (26-10). Norris Cole led all scorers with 18 points in the loss for Cleveland State (27-9).
Second round play in the 2011 NIT resumes on Monday when Missouri State meets Miami (7 p.m. EDT, ESPN), New Mexico battles Alabama (9 p.m. EDT, ESPN) and Oklahoma State faces Washington State (11:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN2).
Colorado def. California, 89-72.
Northwestern def. Boston College, 86-67
Charleston def. Cleveland State, 64-56
Wichita State def. Virginia Tech, 79-76 (OT)
Kent State def. Fairfield, 72-68
March 21 Missouri State at Miami (Fla.) 7 p.m. ESPN
March 21 New Mexico at Alabama 9 p.m. ESPN
March 21 Oklahoma State at Washington State 11:30 p.m. ESPN2
Joe Trapani scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but No. 1 seed Boston College was upset by No. 4 seed Northwestern, 85-67, in the second round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament on Saturday morning at Conte Forum.
Right after the game, Eagles' first-year head coach Steve Donahue and Trapani both stepped to the microphone to share their thoughts on their season-ending loss. To here the press conference in its entirety, click on the link below.
Boston College and Northwestern appeared to be eerily similar on paper: three-point shooting teams who can't play any defense. Yet it was the Wildcats who emerged on top, draining three after three while ripping through the Eagles' defense en route to an 85-67 upset win on Saturday afternoon at Conte Forum in the second round of the 2011 NIT.
"Their guards shot the ball well, they were moving the ball well. They just beat us at our game," said senior forward Joe Trapani, who played his final game as a member of the Eagles on Saturday. "Back doors, second shots, they were definitely better than us today."
Joe Trapani led the way with 18 points and seven rebounds for Boston College (21-13). Naturally, the loss was an emotional one for Trapani, a senior, as it not only brought his season to an end, but also his career in Chestnut Hill.
In the final minute of the game, Eagles fans broke out into a "Joe Trapani" chant to honor their senior leader one last time.
"It was my last game playing college basketball, so I was kind of disappointed that I had to go out like that on my own floor," Trapani said. "But I appreciate the fans. That's great, the people that supported me. I've got nothing but love for Boston College basketball fans."
Michael Thompson scored a game-high 22 points and John Shurna added 20 points for Northwestern, which shot 54.8% for the game (34-for-62), including 61.3% in the second half (19-for-31). In addition, the Wildcats racked up 29 rebounds (10 offensive) and a remarkable 27 assists.
"Obviously, we struggled with anything we tried to plan in," said Boston College head coach Steve Donahue. "We did some zones, did some man. They're a very good basketball team. [Head coach Bill Carmody] has done a great job in 11 years of building that program up. It's just a difficult match-up for us in the sense that they play way different from teams we face, and obviously I know it, but you try to do as much as you can in terms of translating that to your players."
"We had a game plan coming in, but I guess we let them get a little too comfortable," Trapani said. "It's tough when you play one way the whole season and then have to try and tail ourselves to play their game in order to defend them."
Despite losing by 18 points, the Eagles shot 52.2% from the floor (24-for-46) and 33.3% from thee-point range (5-for-15). However, BC was limited to just 20 rebounds (three offensive), 13 assists and turned the ball over 11 times.
"I knew we'd score, I knew we'd shoot over 50% and I knew we'd have a difficult time guarding them, and we did," Donahue said. "More importantly, I felt they hustled to balls more than we did at times and then they do what we try to teach them, convert them into threes."
BC and Northwestern traded baskets throughout the first 15 minutes of the game, but the Wildcats were able to pull away and open up a 10-point lead, 38-28, with 55 seconds left in the opening half. A three from Biko Paris cut the deficit to seven points,38-31, where it would stay heading into halftime.
The Eagles were able to stay within ten points of the Wildcats through the first six minutes of the final half and trailed 54-45 with 13:52 to go. Northwestern closed out the game on a 39-22 run to seal the victory.
Josh Southern scored 12 points and Biko Paris added 11 points for Boston College. Reggie Jackson,an All-ACC First Teamer and the Eagles' leading scorer, was limited to eight points on 2-of-8 shooting in 35 minutes.
Jackson was held scoreless until the 18:45 mark of the second half, when he made two free throws to record his first points of the game. His struggles continued throughout the second half, although Donahue doesn't believe it was a result of a lack of effort from Jackson.
"To be honest, I have a tough time when you talk about college kids not showing up," Donahue said. "He showed up. These kids all tried their best, that's not the issue. They did a terrific job jumping on him early, limiting his penetration. I thought he shared the ball initially and he missed some open shots. But our offense wasn't the issue, Reggie wasn't the issue, obviously the defense was way more the issue today."
Regardless of the painful loss, Donahue is confident that the Eagles can achieve success in the near future.
"No one is going to outwork us," said Donahue. "We're going to work our tails off to bring a championship to Boston College, and I feel as strongly as I did when I got the job as I do today that that can be achieved."
CHESTNUT HILL - Reggie Jackson was held scoreless and committed two turnovers as No. 1 seed Boston College trails No. 4 seed Northwestern, 38-31, at halftime in the second round of the 2011 NIT.
Joe Trapani scored eight points and Biko Paris added six points for Boston College, which shot 54.2% (13-for-24) in the first half. Josh Southern scored seven points off the bench for the Eagles.
Michael Thompson led all scorers with 10 points for the Wildcats, who made 15-of-31 field goals (48.4%). John Shurna had nine points and five rebounds and Drew Crawford added eight points for Northwestern.
The Wildcats made 7-of-19 three-pointers in the opening half while the Eagles buried 4-of-6 shots beyond the arc.
The 2011 National invitation Tournament continues on Saturday, with the No. 1 seed Boston College Eagles hosting the No. 4 seed Northwestern Wildcats at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, MA at 11:00 a.m. EDT.
Matchup: No. 1 Boston College (21-12) battles No. 4 seed Northwestern (19-13) in the second round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament in Chestnut Hill, MA.
Date/Time: Saturday, March 19, 2011 - 11:00 a.m. EDT
Broadcast Information: Saturday morning's game between the Eagles and Wildcats will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Lou Canellis and LaPhonso Ellis will serve as the broadcast team for the Worldwide Leader. The game will also be broadcast locally on the radio, with Jon Meterparel and Malcolm Huckaby serving as the play-by-play and color commentators, respectively, on 850 AM WEEI. In Chicago, the game will be broadcast on WGN 720 AM.
Location: Chestnut Hill, MA (8,606 capacity). The Silvio O. Conte Forum was opened in 1988 and currently serves as the home for the Boston College men's and women's basketball and hockey teams.
Series History: Boston College and Northwestern have met four times, with both teams winning two games. The last meeting was on December 23, 1998, and the Wildcats posted a 69-59 win over the Eagles.
Odds: The opening line lists Boston College as a four point favorite, but according to 5Dimes.com, the Eagles are a 4.5-point favorite.
Boston College In The NIT: The Eagles possess a 17-11 record in the NIT, having appeared in the tournament 11 times. BC cruised past McNeese State, 82-64, in the first round of the 2011 NIT on Tuesday in Lake Charles, Florida. The last time the Eagles appeared in the NIT was in 2003, and they were able to advance to the second round after defeating Fairfield in the opening round. However, BC fell to Temple in the second round. Boston College has never won an NIT title.
Northwestern In The NIT: The Wildcats have a 3-5 record in six appearances in the NIT, including this season. In the first round of the 2011 NIT, Northwestern defeated UW-Milwaukee, 70-61, in Evanston, Illinois. This marks the third straight appearance in the NIT for the Wildcats. Northwestern has never won an NIT championship title and has never advanced past the second round of the NIT.
Road To The NIT: Boston College started the season with ten wins in its first 12 games. Yet the Eagles' first loss during that period may have ultimately cost them their shot at an NCAA Tournament bid, with BC losing at home to Ivy League foes Yale (75-67). The Eagles went on to lose two of their next three against Rhode Island and Harvard before dropping seven of their next 12 games, all against ACC opponents. BC closed out the regular season with three straight wins before defeating Wake Forest in the first round of the 2011 ACC Tournament. The Eagles lost to Clemson in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, ultimately costing them their chance at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Northwestern burst out of the starting game, winning its first eight game before finally losing to St. John's, 85-69, on December 21st. The Wildcats then fell into a rough patch, losing seven of their next 12 games. Northwestern split its final eight games before beating Minnesota, 68-57, in the first round of the 2011 Big Ten Tournament. However, the Wildcats' NCAA tournament hopes came to an end in the quarterfinal round when they lost to No. 1 seed Ohio State, 67-61, in overtime.
Breaking Down Boston College (via Big Ten Network):
The Eagles lean on their offense to win basketball games. On offense, Boston College shoots the ball well, including 38.2 percent from distance and doesn't squander many possessions as it gives the ball away just 11.1 times per game. Always know where Reggie Jackson is on the court, as he's averaging 18.5 points and 4.5 assists per game this season for the Eagles.
Breaking Down Northwestern (via Big Ten Network):
A porous defense leads Northwestern to rely heavily on its talented offense to win games. When in the offensive half, the Wildcats are accurate from the field, hitting 37.8 percent from downtown and don't turn the ball over much averaging 9.9 turnovers per game. John Shurna is a key player for Northwestern, as he's averaging 16.8 points per game this season.
National Rankings: Boston College is not ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll or the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Eagles rank 94th in the nation in scoring (71.6 PPG), 66th in field goal percentage (45.9%), 34th in assists (15.2 APG) and 297th in team rebounding (32.2 RPG).
Northwestern is also not ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll as well as the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Wildcats are ranked 93rd in the country in scoring (71.6 PPG), 95th in field goal percentage (45.1%), 14th in assists (16.5 APG) and 333rd in rebounding (29.6 RPG).
March 18 Colorado defeats California, 89-72.
March 19 Northwestern at Boston College 11 a.m. ESPN
March 19 College of Charleston at Cleveland State 2 p.m. ESPNU
March 20 Wichita State at Virginia Tech 11 a.m. ESPN
March 20 Kent State at Fairfield 12:30 p.m. ESPNU
March 21 Missouri State at Miami (Fla.) 7 p.m. ESPN
March 21 New Mexico at Alabama 9 p.m. ESPN
March 21 Oklahoma State at Washington State 11:30 p.m. ESPN2
Boston College (21-12) coasted past McNeese State in the opening round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday and will face Northwestern in the second round at Conte Forum on Saturday at 11 a.m. (ESPN).
However, the Eagles may be able to go much further than just the second round in the 2011 NIT, according to our friends at BC Interruption. In fact, Jeff @ BCI believes that Boston College is capable of winning the entire tournament.
Just sixteen teams remain in the NIT and the Eagles can advance to the NIT Quarterfinals with a win Saturday against Northwestern. Break down BC's path to the Garden. How far do you see the Eagles going in this year's NIT?
Jeff: Our bracket is one of two to not have a first round upset. With Oklahoma State traveling to Washington State in the other Second Round game, for now I'd say let's plan on having to play the Cougars in Chestnut Hill for the right to go to the Garden for the Semifinals. That would be a nice matchup that should draw a crowd but Oklahoma State would do the same for us. BC should be favored in both of its next two games so it is not a question of if BC is capable of winning, but rather just whether or not they show up and play to their full potential. We get ESPN coverage for the early tip Saturday and hopefully will be on ESPN again for our quarterfinal game. It's certainly not NCAA Tournament type coverage, but being on ESPN is a good thing for BC and this program.
Should the Eagles defeat the Wildcats on Saturday, they would advance to the 2011 NIT's "Elite Eight" to take on the winner of No. 3 seed Oklahoma State and No. 2 seed Washington State in the quarterfinals on either March 22nd or March 23rd. That shouldn't be a problem, according to Jeff @ BCI, who predicts that BC will defeat Northwestern.
Brian: Last one. Prediction time. Boston College vs. Northwestern. Who ya got? What's the final score?
Jeff: Boston College 71, Northwestern 63
To read more about Boston College's chance of winning the 2011 NIT, head on over to BC Interruption.
The first round of the 2011 NIT Championship concluded Wednesday night with the final seven games of the opening round of the NCAA Tournament's little brother. The two No. 1 seeds advanced easily: Virginia Tech rolled through Bethune-Cookman, 79-54, and Colorado -- another bubble team -- downed Texas Southern, 88-74.
Other winners Wednesday night included Wichita State, Miami, Northwestern, California and Washington State.
The second of the NIT is set to take place over a four-day span, Mar. 18-21, at the college campuses. No. 1 seed Boston College hosts Northwestern Saturday morning, Mar. 19, at 11 a.m. EDT. The quarterfinals are set for Mar. 22-23.
The complete second round schedule for the 2011 NIT Championship:
March 18 California at Colorado 9:30 p.m. ESPNU
March 19 Northwestern at Boston College 11 a.m. ESPN
March 19 College of Charleston at Cleveland State 2 p.m. ESPNU
March 20 Wichita State at Virginia Tech 11 a.m. ESPN
March 20 Kent State at Fairfield 12:30 p.m. ESPNU
March 21 Missouri State at Miami (Fla.) 7 p.m. ESPN
March 21 New Mexico at Alabama 9 p.m. ESPN
March 21 Oklahoma State at Washington State 11:30 p.m. ESPN2
Boston College, a No. 1 seed in the 2011 NIT Championship, advanced to the second round of the bracket with Tuesday night's win at McNeese St. The Eagles took an early 18-7 lead, were up 41-19 at the half and cruised to an 82-64 victory. The wins puts BC into the second round, where it will face with Northwestern/Milwaukee winner, in Boston (assuming there are no more hockey conflicts).
Harvard, meanwhile, did not fare so well. The No. 6 seeded Crimson were downed by Oklahoma State, 71-54. The Cowboys move on to play the winner of Washington State and Long Beach State.
The 2011 NIT Championship schedule continues Wednesday night, with the rest of the first round.
TUESDAY, MARCH 15 FIRST ROUND GAMES
NIT First Round: College of Charleston def. Dayton
NIT First Round: Alabama def. Coastal Carolina
NIT First Round: Cleveland State def. Vermont
NIT First Round: Oklahoma State def. Harvard
NIT First Round: Missouri Stat3 def. Murray State
NIT First Round: New Mexico def. UTEP
NIT First Round: Boston College def. McNeese State
NIT First Round: Fairfield def. Colorado State
NIT First Round: Kent State def. St. Mary's
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16
7 p.m. NIT First Round: Nebraska at Wichita State - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (Mike Patrick & Dan Dakich)
7:30 p.m. NIT First Round: Florida Atlantic at Miami (Fla.) - ESPN3.com (Dan McLaughlin & Dereck Whittenburg)
8 p.m. NIT First Round: Bethune-Cookman at Virginia Tech - ESPNU / ESPNU HD / ESPN3.com (Beth Mowins & Bob Valvano)
8 p.m. NIT First Round: Milwaukee at Northwestern - ESPN3.com (Mike Gleason & Mike Kelley)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: Texas Southern at Colorado - ESPN3.com (Dave Armstrong & Bill Herenda)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: Mississippi at California - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (John Saunders & Miles Simon)
10 p.m. NIT First Round: Long Beach State at Washington State - ESPNU / ESPNU HD / ESPN3.com (Clay Matvick & Sean Farnham)
New Mexico at Alabama
Kent St. at Fairfield
College of Charleston at Cleveland State
Reggie Jackson scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds as No. 1 seed Boston College powered past No. 8 seed McNeese State, 82-64, in the opening round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Tuesday night.
Boston College (21-12) took control right from the start, building an 18-7 lead just over eight minutes into the opening half. The Eagles closed out the first half on a 23-12 run to take a 41-19 lead entering the intermission.
The second half featured more of the same for the Eagles, although the Cowboys outscored Boston College, 45-41. McNeese State was able to cut the Eagles' lead to 12 points, 67-55, with 3:43 left in the game, but BC closed out the game on a 15-9 run to preserve the win.
Corey Raji scored 15 rebounds and had 11 rebounds for Boston College, which shot 52.6% from the floor and 47.8% from three-point range. Biko Paris finished with 14 points and seven assists, Joe Trapani scored 10 points and collected two rebounds and Josh Southern added 13 points and five rebounds off the bench for the Eagles.
Patrick Richard also scored 22 points for McNeese State, which was limited to 36.1% shooting (22-of-61). Diego Kapelan scored 12 points and P.J. Alawoya totaled nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Stephan Martin had 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting off the bench for the Cowboys.
The Eagles will face the winner of Northwestern and UW-Milwaukee in the second round.
Kyle Curry scored 13 points and collected seven rebounds, but it wasn't enough for No. 6 seed Harvard, which was defeated by No. 3 seed Oklahoma State, 71-54, in the first round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday night in Stillwater, OK.
Harvard (23-7), which entered the game with the highest RPI (35) of any team not in the NCAA Tournament, finished the season with the most wins in program history. The Crimson never led and fell behind 24-13 by the midway mark of the first half and trailed 41-27 entering the break. The Cowboys outscored the Crimson, 30-27, in the second half.
Keith Wright, the 2011 Ivy League Player of the Year, was held to 10 points and four rebounds in 32 minutes for Harvard, which 22-of-55 field goals to shoot an even 40%. Laurent Rivard scored 10 points off the bench and Oliver McNally added nine points for the Crimson.
Marshall Moses led the way with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds for Oklahoma State (20-13), which made 27-of-50 shots (54%) and 4-of-12 three-pointers. Reger Dowell had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and Matt Pilgrim added 12 points for the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State advances to face the winner of Washington State and Long Beach State in the second round.
Boston College plays its first game in the 2011 National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday evening, squaring off against McNeese State in a first round match-up in Lake Charles, LA, at 9 p.m. EDT (ESPNU).
The Eagles (20-12, 9-8 ACC) are a No. 1 seed while the Cowboys (21-11, 11-5 Southland Conference) received a No. 8 seed. Tuesday night's game will be the first ever match-up between the two schools.
Tuesday night's game will be played at the Burton Coliseum, marking the first time an NIT game will take place at the 35-year-old stadium. The official capacity is listed as 6,500 with a temporary seating of 2,000.
"It's exciting for us to be playing in the NIT and to also be playing a team out of the ACC right here in Burton Coliseum," said Cowboy head coach Dave Simmons.
Simmons is no stranger to the NIT, although this is his first appearance in the postseason as a head coach.
McNeese head coach Dave Simmons makes his first appearance in post season play as a head coach but he's had past experience and success as a member of the coaching staff at other schools.
He was an assistant at Northwestern State when the Demons won a first round NCAA tournament game in 2006 and he was an assistant at McNeese when the Cowboys played in the 1989 NCAA, falling to Illinois 77-71 in first round action.
Also, he was an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech when the Bulldogs advanced all the way to the NIT's Final Four in 1986 and to the second round of the NCAA playoffs in both 1984 and 1985.
"It's still a one game season for us," Simmons said. "Win and you play on. It's unbelievable that we have a home game and it's something that I hope we can take advantage of."
McNeese State, which won the 2011 Southland Conference regular season title, earning it an auto-bid, is making its third appearance in the NIT and its first since 2001. The Cowboys, who are 1-2 all-time in the NIT, lost to UTEP, 84-74, in the first round of the 2001 NIT. In 1986, McNeese State posted its only win in the tournament over Dayton, 86-75, in the first round but lost to Louisiana Tech, 77-61, in the second round.
Boston College is a little more familiar with the NIT, possessing a 16-11 all-time record in the tournament. Here's a little background information on Boston College in the NIT from the school's official athletics website.
For Boston College, 2011 marks the program's 11th appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. BC has a 16-11 all-time record in the NIT. The Eagles last participated in the NIT in 2003, defeating Fairfield (in Bridgeport, Conn.) in the opening round, before losing to Temple (in the Palestra) in the first round.
The Cowboys boast an impressive 15-1 record at home this season, with their only loss coming against Southeastern Louisiana, 81-74. In addition, McNeese State was minutes away from winning the 2011 Southland Conference Tournament, but lost to UT San Antonio in the title game, 75-72.
McNeese State ranked 45th in the nation in scoring (74.4 points per game) in 2011, and was 154th in team field goal percentage (43.9%). The Cowboys also ranked 134th in rebounding (35.6 RPG) and 301st in assists (11.3 APG). Here's a breakdown of McNeese State's offensive attack via NewOrleans.com.
The Cowboys have a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging points in double figures. Junior Patrick Richard leads the way with a 15.9 average followed by Diego Kapelan at 15.0, Stephan Martin 10.4 and P. J. Alawoya 10.3.
Alawoya was the only player in the conference to average a double double this season and he is also tops in rebounds with a 10.3 mark.
C. J. Collins and Preston David are the other two Cowboy starters as Martin will go in off the bench.
Boston College enters Tuesday's game coming off an embarrassing 70-47 loss to Clemson in the quarterfinals of the 2011 ACC Tournament. Joe Trapani paced the Eagles with 20 points and five rebounds while Reggie Jackson finished with 11 points and four assists in the loss.
Jackson is the Eagles' leading scorer, averaging 18.4 points, and leads the team in assists (4.5 APG) and steals (1.1 SPG) while also averaging 4.3 rebounds per contest. Trapani is second in scoring (14.8 PPG) and leads BC in rebounding with 7.1 boards per game. Corey Raji is third in scoring (12.1 points) and second in rebounding (6.7 RPG) while Biko Paris averages 10.2 points for Boston College.
Based on the last few games, Eagles' head coach Steve Donahue's starting lineup should look like this: Joe Trapani (C), Corey Raji (PF), John Cahill (SF), Biko Paris (SG) and Reggie Jackson (PG).
The Eagles rank 94th in the country in scoring (71.6 PPG) and 66th in field goal percentage (45.9%). In addition, BC is 34th in the nation in assists (15.2 APG) and 297th in rebounding (32.2 RPG).
While neither team has met before, Boston College and McNeese State had one common opponent in the 2011 regular season. Both schools played Texas A&M, with BC topping the Aggies 67-65 and the Cowboys losing to A&M, 66-57.
Mitch Holthus and Reid Gettys will serve as the announcers for Tuesday's game on ESPNU.
For all things BC, be sure to visit BC Interruption.
Harvard barely missed out on a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament, and will instead have to settle for the 2011 NIT Championship. The No. 6 seeded Crimson will begin their run toward an NIT title when the schedule opens play Tuesday night, facing No. 3 seed Oklahoma State at Gallagher-Iba Arena at 7:30 p.m. EST (ESPN).
This marks the first ever meeting between Harvard (23-6) and Oklahoma State (19-13). Harvard is playing in the postseason for the third time in school history. The Crimson went to the NCAA Tournament in 1946 and played in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2010.
The Crimson are in the midst of one of its program's best years, in which they were co-champions of the Ivy League for the first time ever and have won the most games in program history. Harvard's season came to a disappointing end in a one-game playoff for the Ivy League title, losing to Princeton on Douglas Davis' game-winner at the buzzer.
The Ivy League has faired well in the NIT, posting an 8-7 all-time record in the tournament. Princeton won the NIT in 1975. Harvard is the first Ivy League team to compete in the NIT since Brown did so in 2003. Yale was the last Ivy League team to record a win in the NIT, beating Rutgers 67-65 in 2002.
Keith Wright, the 2011 Ivy League Player of the Year, leads the Crimson in both scoring (14.9 PPG) and rebounding (8.4 RPG). Christian Webster is second in scoring, averaging 13.3 points, and Kyle Casey averages 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds. Oliver McNally is averaging 10.2 points while Brandyn Curry averages 9.6 points and 5. assists.
When the game is on the line, the Crimson will almost certainly put the ball in the hands of Keith and McNally.
In the last four minutes of games, McNally is tied for the Harvard lead with Keith Wright with a 66.7 shooting percentage. McNally has made six of his nine shots in the final minutes, four of which were from beyond the arc. He is averaging 1.5 points in the last four minutes of games and is 28-of-30 from the foul line (.933). (via GoCrimson.com)
Harvard is ranked 85th in the nation in scoring (72.1 PPG) and 13th in team field goal percentage (47.7%). The Crimson are also ranked 76th in assists (14.3 APG) and 190th in rebounding (32.5 RPG).
When Harvard and Boston College open play in the first round of the 2011 NIT Championship, they'll be doing so on national television. ESPN has announced the complete NIT schedule, with the Worldwide Leader providing the "most coverage ever" for the NIT between ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com.
The first round begins Tuesday with nine games, starting with Dayton at College of Charleston at 7 p.m. EDT, on ESPN2. Harvard, the Ivy league runner-up, gets prime-time treatment with a 7:30 p.m. tip at Oklahoma State, airing on ESPN. Boston College, a No. 1 seed, travels to McNeese St., which will be on ESPNU at 9 p.m. Every game throughout the tournament will also be carried on ESPN3.
Coverage of second-round games begins Friday, March 18 and the quarterfinals, Tuesday, March 22. ESPN2 will televise the semifinals and championship live from Madison Square Garden beginning Tuesday, March 29, with the NIT champion crowned Thursday, March 31.
Complete 2011 NIT First Round Schedule:
Tue, Mar 15
7 p.m. NIT First Round: Dayton at College of Charleston - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (Brad Nessler & Jimmy Dykes)
7 p.m. NIT First Round: Coastal Carolina at Alabama - ESPNU / ESPNU HD / ESPN3.com ( Carter Blackburn & LaPhonso Ellis)
7 p.m. NIT First Round: Vermont at Cleveland State - ESPN3.com (Jim Barbar & Mark Adams)
7:30 p.m. NIT First Round: Harvard at Oklahoma State - ESPN / ESPN HD / ESPN3.com (Mark Jones & Fran Fraschilla)
8 p.m. NIT First Round: Murray State at Missouri State - ESPN3.com (Justin Kutcher & Dickey Simpkins)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: UTEP at New Mexico - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (Bob Wischusen & Stephen Bardo)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: Boston College at McNeese State - ESPNU / ESPNU HD / ESPN3.com (Mitch Holthus & Reid Gettys)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: Fairfield at Colorado State - ESPN3.com (Dave Armstrong & Bill Herenda)
11 p.m. NIT First Round: Kent State at St. Mary's - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham)
Wed, Mar 16
7 p.m. NIT First Round: Nebraska at Wichita State - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (Mike Patrick & Dan Dakich)
7:30 p.m. NIT First Round: Florida Atlantic at Miami (Fla.) - ESPN3.com (Dan McLaughlin & Dereck Whittenburg)
8 p.m. NIT First Round: Bethune-Cookman at Virginia Tech - ESPNU / ESPNU HD / ESPN3.com (Beth Mowins & Bob Valvano)
8 p.m. NIT First Round: Milwaukee at Northwestern - ESPN3.com (Mike Gleason & Mike Kelley)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: Texas Southern at Colorado - ESPN3.com (Dave Armstrong & Bill Herenda)
9 p.m. NIT First Round: Mississippi at California - ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD / ESPN3.com (John Saunders & Miles Simon)
10 p.m. NIT First Round: Long Beach State at Washington State - ESPNU / ESPNU HD / ESPN3.com (Clay Matvick & Sean Farnham)
While Boston College was left out of the 2011 NCAA Tournament, they did receive a No. 1 seed in the NIT bracket, a small consolation, but still: it's postseason basketball, and a chance to win some games in March Madness' other tournament.
BC finished the regular season 20-12 and 9-7 in the ACC, losing to Clemson in the conference tournament. The Eagles will be facing the McNeese St. Cowboys, a No. 8 seed that earned an automatic NIT big by winning the regular season title in the Southland Conference. Wait, so why is McNeese St. hosting Tuesday night? A good question!
Originally, WEEI reported that the Eagles "passed on hosting" the first round NIT game, and then on Monday, head coach Steve Donahue told the Boston Globe that, "Our building's not available. That's what I'm told.''
BC is apparently readying Conte Forum for the men's and women's hockey postseason games. But BC Interruption speculates that the university likely didn't want to host an NIT game against McNeese St. on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. EDT, a situation that is surely a losing proposition financially. Is it finally time for BC to get a basketball-only arena? BCI says yes:
In my humble opinion, Conte Forum is first and foremost an ice hockey facility. The student sections behind the baskets stink for the most part, and the donor-based seating in the bottom of Conte doesn't create any sort of home court advantage. The students are too far away from the action up in the bleachers on the second level, and I'm sure the lack of a proper basketball atmosphere is a big reason why students aren't showing up for our games. Simply put, Conte is a one of the best college hockey arenas in the country and just a 'meh' basketball facility.
Just don't ask me where you'd put a basketball-only facility on campus. With a capacity of 8,606, Conte is already the second smallest basketball arena in the ACC, behind only Miami's BankUnited Center. It's also just the 129th largest in Division I. A basketball-only facility would have to seat just as many fans as Conte Forum currently does for basketball, especially for games against North Carolina, Duke and other high-profile opponents, and there's really nowhere else on campus you could build the thing. Not with adequate parking, anyhow.
Boston College tips-off against McNeese St. Tuesday night at 9 p.m. EDT.
Boston College and Harvard missed out on at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, but both will get the chance to continue their seasons in the 2011 National Invitation Tournament.
The Eagles (20-12, 9-8 ACC) are a No. 1 seed entering the NIT and will face No. 8 seed McNeese State in its first round match-up in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. EST (ESPNU).
Our friend Brian Favat at BC Interruption broke down the match-up between Boston College and McNeese State.
Fresh off the disappointment of missing the NCAA Tournament, the Eagles learned that they will travel to Lake Charles, Louisiana to take on McNeese State in the First Round of the NIT. The game will be played on Tuesday night at 9 PM ET, and will be televised on ESPNU.
McNeese State went 21-11 this year and 11-5 in the Southland Conference. The Cowboys lost to Texas-San Antonio in the Southland Conference Championship. BC and McNeese State played one common opponent this year in Miami (Fla.). BC lost both games while McNeese State lost by 20, 79-59.
Boston College has been to the NIT eleven times before, and as BC Interruption points out, the Eagles have a winning record in true road games.
As I mentioned earlier, this will be BC's 11th appearance all-time in the NIT. Since the early rounds of the NIT were moved back to campus, BC is 5-3 in true road games with wins over Saint Joseph's (1984) , Evansville (1988), Middle Tennessee (1988), Niagara (1993) and Fairfield (2003). Losses to Virginia, Notre Dame and Temple.
Harvard (23-6, 12-3 Ivy League) also received an invitation to the 2011 NIT. The Crimson are a No. 6 seed and will meet No. 3 seed Oklahoma State in the first round on Tuesday night at 7:30 (ESPN).
The complete 2011 National Invitation Tournament bracket can be viewed below, and also at SB Nation.
2011 National Invitation Tournament Bracket
Left bracket:
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 8 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Tuesday at 7 pm
No. 4 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 5 UTEP Miners on Tuesday at 9 pm
No. 3 Missouri State Bears vs. No. 6 Murray State Racers on Tuesday at 8 pm
No. 2 Miami Hurricanes vs. No. 7 Florida Atlantic Owls on Wednesday at 11 pm
No. 1 Colorado Buffaloes vs. No. 2 Texas Southern Wednesday at 7 pm
No. 4 California Golden Bears vs. No. 5 Mississippi Rebels on Wednesday at 9 pm
No. 3 Colorado St. Rams vs. No. 6 Fairfield Stags Tuesday at 9 pm
No. 2 St. Mary's Gaels vs. No. 7 Kent St. Golden Flashes on Tuesday at 11 pm
Right bracket:
No. 1 Boston College Eagles vs. 8 McNeese St. Cowboys on Tuesday at 9 pm
No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Panthers on Wednesday at 8 pm
No. 3 Oklahoma St. Cowboys vs. No. 6 Harvard Crimson on Tuesday at 7 pm
No. 2 Washington St. Huskies vs. No. 7 Long Beach St. 49ers on Wednesday at 10 pm
No. 1 Virginia Tech Hokies vs. No. 8 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Wednesday at 8 pm
No. 4 Wichita St. Shockers vs. No. 5 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday at 7 pm
No. 3 Dayton Flyers vs. No. 6 Charleston Cougars on Tuesday at 7 pm
No. 2 Cleveland St. Vikings vs. No. 7 Vermont Catamounts on Tuesday at 7 pm
Looking for a printable 2011 National Invitation Tournament bracket? Check out the official NIT bracket on NCAA.com.
NIT Championship 2011: Alabama Meets Wichita State In Title Game
Alabama and Wichita State may not have made the field of 68 in the NCAA Tournament, but they can boast something that all but four other teams can not: they're still playing basketball.
The top-seeded Crimson Tide and the fourth-seeded Shockers will cap off one national tournament on Thursday night when both meet in the 2011 National Invitation Tournament championship game at 7 p.m. EDT at Madison Square Garden (ESPN).
Wichita State (33-9) is in the midst of a historic season in which it has won a school-record 28 games in the regular season. The Shockers, who are 7-11 all-time in the NIT, have displaced Nebraska (76-49), Virginia Tech (79-76 OT), College of Charleston (82-75) and Washington State (75-44) en route to the NIT title game.
All throughout, the Shockers have been led by J.T. Durley, who is the only player on the team to average double-digit scoring (11.2 points). Despite the lack of star power, Wichita State averaged 72.9 points per game while holding opponents to 61.8 points per contest.
Alabama (30-12) was on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament,and was ultimately excluded from the Big Dance. In response, the Crimson Tide have rolled through the competition. 'Bama has topped Coastal Carolina (68-44), New Mexico (74-67), Miami, FL (79-64) and Colorado (62-61) to get to the championship game.
JaMychal Green leads the Crimson Tide in scoring, averaging 15.6 points, and is first in rebounding (7.6 RPG). Tony Mitchell is close behind, averaging 15.3 points and 6.9 rebounds for Alabama.
While the Crimson Tide boast a No. 1 seed, The Sports Network predicts that the Shockers' will shock Alabama to win the 2011 NIT.
Mar 31 11:50a by Gethin Coolbaugh